Tookie Monks Dad

Leadbelly

2010-10-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

Noah is a music lover like his dad, do I have been introducing him to some old songs. My Grandma (Ma) would sing "Cotton Fields" to me when I was a kid and I loved it. I no longer remembered the words so before teaching it to Noah I YouTubed it and opened a treasure chest of old folk music and was introduced to a unique personality.

Leadbelly whose given name was Huddie William Ledbetter was born on a plantation in Lousiana and moved to Texas at an early age. As he got older he was in and out of trouble and spent time in and out of prison for murder and attempted murder. He was typically paroled after serving the sentence minimums of seven years. He was once released after writing a song that appealed to the religious feelings of the state's governor, that coupled with his appeal to the guards and prison officials who enjoyed his entertainment behind the wire.

What I like about his music is that it has a clean, but unrefined sound that mixes his musical ability with things that he has witnessed. Sometimes the lyrics can sound a bit forced in order to catch up with the rhythm, but it adds to Leadbelly's folk appeal.

Some songs that you have heard like "House of the Rising Sun", "Midnight Special" "Cee Cee Rider" were originally performed or recorded by Leadbelly. Though he is not the best role model he was a truly gifted musician.

Here are a few links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46h56pidCiE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCiJ4QQG9WQ

The American Labor Force: What happened to it?

2010-08-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

Do your duty in all things. you cannot do more, you should never wish to do less.
Robert E. Lee

If you haven't seen this commercial yet, it is a good one. I like it because it honors the heart of the American worker and the values that once made America the greatest industrialized nation in the world. I grew up in a family of blue collar working men and women. I am proud to say that my family worked long hot hours in the cotton mills of Richmond county, paved many of the states roads, driven diesel locomotives, landscaped yards and protected our nation in times of war and peace. Throughout my life I watched these men and women work long hours to provide the needs and in most cases the modest wants of the children. I never thought that I would see the day that these types of jobs would be scorned by society as being beneath the average persons idea of a good job.

It seems that most people want to impress others as well as themselves with job titles and over exaggerated job descriptions that paint a loftier picture than the actual requirements of the job itself. Last year before we went to get Laurel I was working for a guy that had lots of NCSU sports memorabilia scattered around his house. He was a single guy and you could tell that he had seen hard work in his time. When I naively asked him when he graduated from State he said "Well, I'm one of the losers in life that never went to college, I've just worked my whole life" I didn't know what to say, where did he get the idea that not going to college makes you a loser? Has labor become so stigmatized that a man who maintains the water system in a small town is no longer able to wake up and feel good about himself? What a shame.

Later in the conversation I was telling him about Martha and I adopting Laurel and he said "wait a minute, I put some money in a donation jar at the hardware store, is that you guys?" I said "yes" and thanked him for his generosity. He simply said "glad to do it", yet he thinks that he is a loser for not going to school. He's a hero in more ways than he knows.

To end this I will say to all of you that work at the thankless jobs that lack the options of policies that allow you to shirk your duty and pass the buck, be proud of what you do, YOU are the strength of America, and I am glad to count myself as one of you.

Something for all of you dance fans!

2010-04-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

I found this video on youtube a few months ago. It is a group of Russian soldiers doing appropriately enough "The Dance of the Soldier". The music is Run DMC, but it matches up pretty good. These guys are really good especially the guy at 2:35 and the 2 guys after him.
We had a good laugh at the office by opening 2 Windows and playing other songs while the video was running with the sound off. Try it and let's see who can come up with the best/funniest song to go along with the video.

Discovered any good songs lately?

2010-03-28T19:45:00.001-07:00

I was listening to some 80's music on youtube and rediscovered this song by Bruce Springsteen called "Atlantic City". It is different from alot of music on the radio in that it tells a story. This story is about a man who has fallen on hard times and with nothing to loose buys some bus tickets for him and his girl to go to Atlantic City. It doesn't say why he chose Atlantic City, maybe it was a place where they have lots of good memories and hope the fondness they have for it might bring some light to thier dismal situation. The song is kind of sad but it's well written because it makes you think of different possibilities for meanings in the lyrics, and Bruce's blue collar voice adds an element of believabilty to it. Other songs that tell a good story are "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" Gordon Lightfoot, "Southern Cross" CSN&Y , "Manhattan Project" by Rush (not Limbaugh) and "Faimily Portrait" by Pink.

What are some songs that you like that tell a good story?

need I say more...

2010-03-23T23:16:00.000-07:00

I was going to write some long post about the Healthcare Bill but you all know what it means to the country. I'll post more about it later until then enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvxiG56M-eU

Not your grandfathers Army

2009-11-10T19:34:00.000-08:00

The killing of of 13 and wounding of an additional 29 people by Major Nadal Halik Hasan was a disaster that could have been prevented had the Army paid attention to all of the warning signs that preceded this event. It has been reported that during a military briefing Hasan had written a power point presentation that had a slide that said, speaking of militant islamists,"we love death more than you love life". I guess he was part of the "we". He also stated that the war on terror was a war against Islam. Yes, against MILITANT islam, he further said that muslim soldiers should be released from duty as conscientious objectors if they choose to do so.
The end result of this is that peoples lives are ended and many others changed forever all because the Army marginalized the safety of it's soldiers in the name of political correctness.
I don't have a real issue with muslims serving in the Armed forces provided that they, like other soldiers put thier mission above themselves. Who they worship is thier business.
My problem with this whole thing is that I don't think that General Patton would have put up with the slightest sympathy or support for Nazism in his Army no more than MacArthur would have tolerated a soldier supporting the imperial Japanese . The Army should have discharged Hasan at the first hint of this activity. I have seen good soldiers careers ruined for a single act of indescretion that harmed no one. I served with some of the finest soldiers in the world and it was terrible to see boys discharged for being a overweight or injured (sometimes of no fault of their own) to a point where they could no longer do thier job.
So I guess the experts and Army brass will out on a show and try to make it look like they are doing something about this but nothing will change. I am just dissapointed that the same officers that would punish a soldier for missing a formation or a dirty weapon let this guy slide knowing that he was ideologically opposed to the mission of our Armed forces.

"Tookie Monk"

2009-08-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

Southerners always give thier kids pet names or nicknames that don't always have rhyme or reason, sometimes a name just fits and it follows them forever (If you have one of these names you know what I'm talking about). Noah's nickname started out as "hoot" because he made little owl noises when he was a baby, but somehow "hoot" just didn't quite suit him. A few weeks later the name "tookie monk" came out and now its the chosen term of endearment for Noah, and believe it or not he likes when dad calls him that. The "Monk" part is pronounced like "Maunk"

The hardest part about leaving is missing my little "tookie monk" and all of his little phrases and habits. Not to mention stepping on his trains in the middle of the night or sleeping on the last 5 inches of the bed when he crawls into sleep with us every once in a while. I can't wait to get back and take him on his first camping trip. Noah will be the best big brother for Laurel. I can't wai to see them running around and playing together.

We're flying baby we're flying!

2009-08-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

When I was a paratrooper we would get alerted everynow and again and sometimes it would just be a recall formation to make sure that we could assemble for deployment in the prescribed 2 hours. Once and a while the call up would lead to a training mission that involved a parachute jump. We would anxiously wait outside in the formation area for the word, when it was a "go" for a drop my platoon sargeant would smile real big and say:"We're flyin' baby, we're flyin'".

Now some 15 years later we're "flyin' " to Ukraine to hopefully adopt Laurel. I appreciate everyone's prayers, kind words and generosity that have made all of this possible. I am awestruck at your kindness. I felt that this was a bad time to do this due to the "recession" but you all have proven that the Lord works without the restraints of a bad economy and has done an amazing work through His body. Thank you al again and we are deeply moved by your many actions of love and kindness. "...Behold how they love one another..."

Please pray for Noah while we are gone, he has been breaking out in hives and I am afraid it is his anxiety about us leaving. Just pray that the Lord comfort his heart and pray for his grandparents while we are gone as they will be the one's to comfort and entertain him.

May the Lord return to you ten fold what you have given to us. Laurel is very fortunate to have an extended family like you.

"God be with you till we meet again"

The aircraft is a Ukranian Su-27 one of my favorite fighters

Mike

Special Farces

2009-01-28T20:39:00.000-08:00

SPECIAL FORCES SNIPER
army mechanic
army cook

Throughout my life I have meet many interesting people. Being an ex-paratrooper I love to talk to veterans. But in the past ten years I think that I have run into a statistical anomaly. Let me give you some background. First of all, Special Operations Forces constitute maybe 5-7 percent of the total structure of the armed forces. These are the nations elite, the funny thing is that the majority of people that I run into claim to be ex special forces soldiers, and to take it a step further somehow they all seem to be snipers. There was a saying in the army that says that for every combat soldier in the field there are 7 soldiers to support him. So the question is where are all the cooks and mechanics? Now I will be the first to admit that parachute infantrymen think that the world revolves around them and that the sun rises and sets on Ft. Bragg NC. Personally I cannot thank all of the cooks, mechanics, medics, parachute riggers and finance clerks who worked hard to take care of us so that we could focus on our training. There is nothing like a hot meal in the field when it is freezing outside or a truck ride back to the barracks instead of walking back. So to all of you who served in support roles THANK YOU you are the best.
The problem with these "special farces" soldiers is that they are dishonest and it belittles the role of support troops who make everything happen. Most of these "special farces sniper" types probably never served in the military but have seen lots of war movies. Usually if I press them for a few details that only those in the know have knowledge of they quickly back away and give me a wide berth as they suddenly figure out that I am on to them. Ask Martha and Rachael about the 18 year old "Coast Guard ensign" from SC who said he was the captain of a cutter. I knew he was blowing smoke so I asked "is it a 19 ft or a 21 foot ship" he confidently replied "it's a 19 footer" A 19 foot Coast Guard Cutter! Look them up they are pretty big ships. I know it's kind of mean but my Grandma always said that I have a devilish sense of humor.
I guess the problem that I have with all of this is that I hate embellished stories. I was raised by men (Dad, Larry and Pa) who had the right to brag about their athletic or military skills but they always spoke the truth about it and I appreciate that in a person. I never fired a shot in anger in defense of our country so I would never take credit for something that I did not do. It would only serve to take away from those who have done so.

What are your 10 favorite songs?

2008-12-14T18:24:00.000-08:00

Although I can't read music don't play any musical instruments I still enjoy listening to it and sometimes singing. Most of the major events of my life have a song that reminds me of that time. When I was in the Army we really liked the song "In the Air Tonight" it always seemed to get us ready to go when we were going to do a night jump or do an air assault mission. There is also a song by Casting Crowns called "East to West" that illustrates how God forgives us even when we make a mess of things. I know that we all have a song that we would be embarrased if people knew that we liked it my song is ( and I'm really opening myself up here so you have to be honest with your list too!) Patty Smyth - The Warrior; really stupid 80's song.

1. Where the streets have no name - U2
2. In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins
3. East to West - Casting Crowns
4. With Arms Wide Open - Creed (reminds me of when Noah was born)
5. Be Thou my Vision - Best hymn ever
6. Abide With Me - Peter Sturgess intro'd me to this one, it's great
7. Can't you see? - Marshall Tucker Band ( reminds me of growing up in the
south)
8. Something beutiful - newsboys (reminds me of Martha and Noah)
9. One tree hill - U2 Reminds me of travelling
10. Spirit in the sky - Norman Greenbaum (reminds me of all of my parachuting
and flying days)

I could add more but we will keep it at ten for now. Let's hear yours and don't forget your emabarassing song. Maybe the next list will be favorite 80's songs. Can't wait to hear your lists.

Veterans Day

2008-11-11T18:48:00.000-08:00

I delivered my second sermon this past Sunday for Veterans Day with the help of my good friend John who is going to Iraq next year. It was an exciting time for both of us and John did a great job describing how God protected him the first time he went to Iraq. The church was full and many got to hear how the Lord looks after us in times of danger. Veterans Day is an important day to honor those who served in times of war and those who helped maintain the peace. If you know a Veteran call them and thank them for their service. It is the least we can do.

I served with the 82nd Airborne Division from 1991-94, I never saw a day of combat but was honored to serve with such an elite group of soldiers. "Airborne,All The Way"

Vietnam Veteran at the Wall in Washington DC. Alot of these men did not get the respect the deserved when they came home. These men fought bravely in a very difficult war with little support from their nation. If you know a Vietnam Veteran thank them for their service. I feel that these Veterans have never recieved an appropriate "Welcome Home" and a kind word of thanks spoken to them would mean alot to them.

Marines in WWII moving a fellow Marine who has been killed in battle. The Marines fought a tough campaign in the Pacific against the Japanese. Thier ferocity in battle helped them to maintain their reputation as one of the toughest fighting forces in our country. One of my favorite books "With the Old Breed" by Eugene Sledge gives a good account of the war in the Pacific.

There aren't many WW2 veterans around any more. If you get the chance to talk to one you should. Listening to their stories will make you appreciate the sacrifices that they made to insure our freedoms. I know a few and make an effort to thank them when I see them. They really appreciate it.

LEGENDS

2008-09-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of the group standing with Mr. Browning. We met him in front of the glider exhibit, he was a glider infanrtyman with the 194th Glider Reigiment (17th Airborne Div), he fought in Operation Varsity, the crossing of the Rhine River. I told the kids that this was a rare treat and better than meeting any of the known stars of today. It's not everyday that you get to meet such a rare hero. The gratitude that we showed him for his service "really made his day"his wife said. Men like him made this country the greatest country in the world.

The Group standing by a display dipicting a Ranger dressed and equiped for the Normandy invasion. If you ever get a chance you should read about hte Rangers attack on Point du Hoc on D-Day. It is a picture of American heroism and ingenuity. I have been to Point du Hoc and I was amazed that anyone could have made the climb, not to mention with Germans shooting at you.

This is Noah pronouncing the name of the cat that we found at Ft. Bragg. We named the cat "General Gavin" in honor of the 82nds commander during WWII. Noah has a different twist on the name"General."

My Week as a Lifeguard

2008-08-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

I finally got the chance to update my blog, I know that it has been over a month. Over our beach vacation Noah and I played in the water alot, he loves it but doesn't realize how deep or how fast the waves move. So I spent most of ny time with my back to the ocean or acting as a "wave break" to reduce the impact on my baby boy. He is fearless and plays hard, it was the best Lifeguard duty that I have ever done.

Trying to maintain an arms reach. I wish that I had a picture of him when he was getting tired. He would walk toward the beach exit waving to the ocean and saying "bye pool."

This picture reminds me of some lines from Peter Gabriel's song Father, Son.

Remember the breakwaters down by the waves,

I first found my courage knowing daddy could save,

I could hold back the tide

With my Dad by my side

Noah and I on the ferry, he loved watching the other boats passing by and the Sprite and M&M snack in the lounge area. I am looking forward to future trips with my little boy, I enjoy seeing him discover new things.

NO LAND IN SIGHT

2008-06-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

Looking up through the main sail and jib sail.

If you look closely you can see the outline of two dolphins that swam under the boat.

Two salty steely eyed sailors

Me doing my best to not go overboard looking for our next marker.

Ocracoke light house, Martha and I got engaged here 9 years ago.

Some sailboats that were heading to Ocracoke as well.

No land in sight.

This past weekend was the summer solstice the longest period of daylight this year. Dad and I have always wanted to sail from Oriental to Ocracoke during this time and finally did so. My brother in law Nait, who is an impressive sailor was also part of our three man crew. The trip is roughly 48 nautical miles and takes around 8 hours one way. The trip there was an adventure as the winds and seas continued to build throughout the day, we finished the first leg racing a storm to port.Fortunately, we beat the storm and spent the night in Ocracoke. The trip back began at 5:25 am on Saturday, we made great time but ran into another storm on the way back in, this one not as bad as the first, mostly rain. I had a great time, learned alot about sailing and navigation and also gained a respect for the Pamlico Sound I would certainly to do it again;Dad says he has gotten this trip out of his system, but I bet we can get one more trip out of him.

Forest Fire

2008-06-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Last week there was a forest fire in Hyde County. Due to a shift in the wind we were covered in smoke all day long. Working outside in the triple digit heat heat was difficult enough, but with the addition of the smoke it was almost unbearable. I somehow had the camera set on black and white, and it kind of takes away from the images as the grays all blend together. You can still see how thick the smoke was and how it reduced visibility. This is the first time I have ever seen this happen, it brought back memories of my days as a firefighter.

Trains

2008-06-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

We were recently driving through my hometown and we took some pictures of some old railway stations and trains. I have always been fascinated by them and love to watch them going by with their long trail of boxcars. My dad was a railroad engineer and we used to go to the railroad yard and my dad would let me ride in the locomotive with him while he put a train together before he would leave and drive it to its destination. With gas prices rising there will probably be an increase in rail transport over the coming years. I have relative who recently retired from the RR and he said that the RR can move a ton of whatever is being shipped 400 miles on one gallon of diesel fuel. If youve never travelled by rail you should try it, its a great way to see the country. When my sister and I were children my parents would put us on the train and we would go visit relatives. My dad new the conductors and they looked after us as we traveled and made sure that we got off at the right stop. It was always a good time.

" And the sons of pullman porters, and the sons of engineers, ride their fathers magic carpets made of steel"

from the son "City of New Orleans" by Steve Goodman

THE ANSWER

2008-05-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

Yes Yes I know that the picture was too small. That's what happens when we try to get smart and edit it! Congrats to Joy S. who was the closest to the answer. Your dollar is on the way! Really. This is a kudzu guard for power lines. We had never seen this before and thought it was pretty ingenious. Stay tuned for the next "What is it".

STRANGE SIGHTINGS

2008-05-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

Tell me what this is and win a dollar. (picture above)

We saw this truck on the way home from Martha's grandma's house. I have seen some unusual vehicles in my time but this one is pretty strange. The funny thing is, he has used screws to attach the plates to his truck. He has also put them on the sides of the truck as well. Most of these plates kind of go together, NASCAR, John Deere, Confederate Flags times 2, the Duke plate just somehow doesn't belong. You have to admire his creativity.

Termites 101

2008-05-12T17:20:00.000-07:00

This is just something I saw when I was in school. Termites work in the dark, so how do they know where they are going? There are pheremones emitted by termites that enable them to travel in the shelter tubes that they build and in the wood that they are working in without losing their way.

No, you just can't "get something from Lowe's"

2008-05-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

Termite damage in a baseboard.

Our 100 gallon spray rig.

Drilling holes through a concrete slab to reach the termites in the soil.

Wall and slab after treatment.

When I find termites at peoples homes I always get asked "can't I just get something from Lowe's to take care of this?" I wish that I could say yes, but termite treatments require a little more than a spray can. The first picture is a pretty mild termite infestation, the termites went through the wall and wound up eating through a bookshelf and into some books. We injected chemical into the holes that we drilled in the slab as well as the cinder block wall. The idea is to break the termites contact with the soil so that it kills the termites while providing a protective chemical barrier for your home. Termites must have a source of moisture to live, most of the time this source is the soil. In some rare cases leaky roofs and pipes provide this source making them very hard to detect. Again, this is a rare situation and I have only seen it a few times over the past 10 years. Termite treatments aren't by any stretch rocket science, but like anything else you need to know what you are doing. Some of the hazards faced in this particular treatment were underground utilities and electrical wires in the wall. You just have to be careful, and think before drill and inject chemical. To end, I would just say that your home is the largest investment that most people make, it pays to have your home inspected at least once a year. Sure treatments are expensive, but repair cost are often much higher and you would still need to have the home treated after the repairs.

RIDING AROUND WAVING AT PEOPLE

2008-04-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

(Left)- Two Vultures after being interrupted from their dinner.

(Bottom)- Pivot Sprinkler for a Sod Farm

(Left)- A really elaborate pond dam

I work for a small pest contol company that services a mostly rural area, and this reqiures us to do alot of driving. Some of my family members think that I get paid to "ride around and wave at people", this does happen quite often especially when one of them is riding with me. Although my job has its difficult moments I do get the chance to see lots of beautiful scenery and meet interesting people. I have met pro hockey players, ex- bikers, country preachers and WW2 veterans to name a few. I enjoy my conversations with the people that I meet. The purpose of this blog is to show you some of the things that I see and to tell you about some of the people that I meet. If you have any questions about insect pests I will do what I can to help you.